D.N.A.

Normally I steer clear of discussions involving ethnicity, but I saw a video the other day that frustrated me and can keep my mouth shut no longer. The whole point of talking about prejudice is promoting appreciation and respect for people from every corner of the world. No one ethnicity is better than the others. This world is so large and diverse and intriguing. I constantly find myself searching the internet for hours learning about different countries. Cultures are fascinating to me, especially those that make up my own heritage. I’m proud of who God made me to be therefore I physically hurt when I see people ashamed of and unhappy with who they are. I was watching a group of people take DNA tests on YouTube the other day, and one man was upset with his results. He wasn’t upset in an explosive way, just disappointed. His results showed that the majority of his ancestors came from different parts of Europe. His exact words were “I’m just a… basically just a white guy. I’m a little disappointed. I thought I might be something cool.” Of course he has the right to be disappointed, and it’s not like he flipped out or overreacted. I don’t want to blame him directly because he didn’t do anything wrong, but I do want to make a point. Europe consists of more than 40 countries and shares a land border with Asia. It is anything but boring, and labeling European as “white” is a disservice. Aside from my Sephardic heritage, I am European (as far as I know). I am Jewish and Spanish on my mom’s side and English, Irish, and Scottish on my dad’s side; additionally, there is a possibility of Arab ancestry on my mom’s side and French on my dad’s side. I have no problem identifying as Caucasian, but it isn’t a label I use often because my heritage deserves much more than a shallow adjective. I encourage each and every one of you to dig beneath the surface and learn as much as you can about your heritage. If you feel pressure to be ashamed and not care, don’t give in to the pettiness. Set a good example by appreciating where you come from and respecting where others come from. If your attitude and heart are in the right place, that is the best you can do.